Not only did Yubak Sangha’s Ganesh puja at PNB stoppage have two khunti pujas this year, but there might be two different pujas in the vicinity with the same name.
The first khunti puja, on August 22, was by former councillor Anindya Chatterjee, who has been organising Ganesh puja as president of Yubak Sangha for 12 years. But the next day police stopped work, citing lack of permission.
A week later, Ratna Bhaumik, co-ordinator of Ward 41, where Chatterjee used to be the councillor, performed khunti puja at the site afresh, as president of the club.
“Sujitda (MLA Sujit Bose) has asked us to conduct the puja this year and we shall do it with anyone and everyone who wants to join us,” said Bhaumik. “All are welcome,” she added, without naming Chatterjee.
Musical chairs
Those in the older committee question how Bhaumik could have become president. “When was the general meeting held to appoint her, how many members were present at that meeting, where is the resolution?” asks a supporter of Chatterjee. “Bhaumik isn’t even a member of the club. Can she produce any past receipts of subscriptions?”
Bhaumik’s supporters say it is natural for post-bearers to change on an annual basis. On the contrary, they question the validity of Yubak Sangha, given that it has not been registered even after 12 years of existence. “The club was used to extort money. It was a one-man show,” said her supporter.
Chatterjee’s cronies argue that many unregistered clubs operate smoothly. “We are a social group. Besides organising puja, we conduct blood donation camps and helped people during the lockdown and Amphan. Not being registered was never an issue before in obtaining permissions and no-objection certificates (NOC) from the authorities, so why the fuss now?”
Blame game
To organise Ganesh puja, an organiser needs NOCs from the police, the fire department and the corporation. “When we approached the local ward co-ordinator Rajesh Chirimar this year, he refused us one,” said an old member of the club.
Chirimar says he had directed them to the corporation. “My only involvement with this puja is that it takes place in my ward. I want the puja to take place and simply asked them to get permission from higher authorities,” he said.
Chatterjee, a former Trinamul Congress councillor, incidentally, had changed camp and jumped on to the BJP bandwagon before the Assembly elections earlier this year. Chatterjee, however, claims he had never formally joined BJP and that his media company was simply helping out Mukul Roy, who had joined the BJP then.
The Chatterjee camp claims that Bhaumik’s supporters have used the Yubak Sangha name to get NOCs and begin work on the parallel puja. “This is illegal and we have served legal notices to all three authorities asking how they could grant permission to a puja that is using false documents. The official address of the puja is Anindya Chatterjee’s residence and he has not given approval for this. They have snatched our puja from us,” said a supporter.
Solution in sight
Chatterjee and his men went to consult Bose on the issue. “We have Sujitda’s blessings to perform puja and have decided to hold it somewhere near the original site, maybe in BB Block. Our banner will read Yubak Sangha and we will proudly add the words ‘12 years’ next to it, emphasising our history,” said Chatterjee. “Sujitda said he will attend the opening.”
As for the original site in BA Block, a banner behind the khunti there now reads “organised by Yubak Sangha in association with Ward 41”. “Since the previous puja did not have permissions, we conducted Narayan puja afresh before the khunti and are now preparing for the inauguration on September 9, for which Sujitda will come,” said Bhaumik. “The puja and cultural programmes will be on September 10 and immersion will be on September 11.”
Public opinion
Residents of the area said they couldn’t care less about the politics of puja. “They should stop the in-fighting and think of the harassment they cause us by blocking a busy junction like PNB,” said a resident who has been living in BA Block for 30 years. “The loud cultural programmes are an irritant. Ganesh, Sitala, Manasha pujas are becoming rampant in Salt Lake, changing the township’s intrinsic culture.”
Rickshaw-pullers lounging at the disputed site on Wednesday knew all about the goings-on but said it made no difference to them who conducted the puja. “We are happy as long as we get a helping of bhog,” one quipped.